Most of the time, when I tell someone I am going to be a middle school teacher, I get the same basic reaction: wow, you're so brave! Well, bravery has nothing to do with it. You don't need courage to stand in front of a bunch of 11-year olds—you need passion, inspiration, positivity, warmth, respect, and creativity. Even though I am still in college, I have been in several classrooms where teachers have gone above and beyond to support their students and lead them towards success. While there are certainly hardships that come with teaching, I think the positives definitely outweigh the negatives.

1. The students are eager to learn.

Middle school students have a growing sense of curiosity about the world and finding their place in it. If you know your stuff and are excited about it, students will get excited to learn about it.

2. And they all have great personalities.

3. Every day will be different.

With all the differences and quirkiness among your students, each day will bring new insights, conversations, and ideas into the classroom.

4. The students are fun to teach.

This one should be a no brainer. Students are fun by nature and bring their quirkiness into the classroom on a daily basis. Once you learn more about your students, you can adjust your lessons based on their individual needs and abilities. By engaging students, you gain their interest and make them more willing to participate in the lesson. Kids want to impress you and show off their knowledge.

5. And they're super cool!

6. You will learn something from your students.

In the teaching profession, you are constantly learning and growing. Each year, new students come in with different perspectives and ideas and build on your lessons throughout the year. Student voices matter, and learning from students allows you to deepen your teaching practices and develop deeper connections with them.

7. You get to read great books.

The Outsiders. Number the Stars. The Giver. There are so many amazing books out there for middle schoolers, and even if you aren't teaching English, students will still bring books into your classroom and share what they are reading with you! You should also have a library set up somewhere in your classroom, if you have room for it, to promote reading.

8. You have the power to shape students' minds.

During middle school, students are at a point in their lives where teachers can have an immense impact on who the students become later in life. With strong and positive experiences in school, middle schoolers will go ahead and achieve great things.

9. The students still have hopes and dreams, and they love to share them with you.

It's a beautiful thing when students are able to open themselves up to you and say what they are truly feeling. That bond you form with students will only grow stronger with time.

10. Your days will be endlessly entertaining.

11. You will experience the joy of working with kids every day.

Most days, it won't even feel like work!

12. Seeing the "aha moment" on your students' faces makes the hours of lesson planning so worth it.

Being able to make a difference in your students' lives is a rewarding experience all teachers face. A teacher's impact goes beyond the classroom because they are imparting lessons that will shape the next generations. When students finally understand the material, it's clear on their faces and you know you have just opened a door in their minds that might have otherwise remained closed.

13. The students can wrestle with big questions.

Don't underestimate middle schoolers; they can handle the big questions of history—social change, inequality, justice, and the like. In order for them to do this though, you need to be prepared and facilitate students in inquiry learning, and not "dumb down" the material for them. Believe in your students and they will believe in themselves!

14. The students are so in-your-face honest.

Now that's a bit extreme, but you may get a student who will say that, or something similar, to your face. Whether it's directed towards you or another person, middle schoolers don't have filters and will say the first thing on their minds. It could be funny, rude, informative, or just plain silly, and it's a part of the daily life of a teacher.

15. You end every year with new "I knew them when" stories.

At the beginning of the year, these students come in your classroom and you might barely know their names. But after spending 180 days with them, you know their hopes and fears, what makes them laugh, and you've helped them grow as students and human beings.